


Beneath the Surface

by runningfromexplosions



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Becoming a family, Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M, added character depth, chapter one focuses on stephanie, eventual sportarobbie, feelings (many of them), mentions of neglectful parenting, next chapter will be more sportarobbie, rivals to friends to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-10-12 00:16:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10477785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/runningfromexplosions/pseuds/runningfromexplosions
Summary: LazyTown isn't as simple as it seems. Under the superficial appearances of our characters are feelings that have been kept hidden for a long time. It only takes one moment without Sportacus to save the day for a secret of Stephanie's to come loose, effectively starting a series of changes that will transform the town's daily life for good.





	1. Shouldn't Have Said That

“I’m going to get you, Pinkie!”

Trixie ran with one arm outstretched, ready to tag Stephanie. Both girls were squealing with laughter. Stephanie took a sharp turn and narrowly missed Trixie’s hand. Her maneuver, however, had her running on a track directly towards the wall around the park. She would be tagged if she stopped at the wall, but if she slowed down to make another turn, Trixie might be able to tag her then, too.

“Dead end! You can’t escape!” Trixie shouted.

“Oh yeah?” teased Stephanie. Trixie lunged forward, but only managed to tag yellow-painted brick. To her surprise, the pink-haired girl had leapt on top of the low wall. Trixie jumped to try to tap Stephanie’s foot, but she missed as Stephanie dropped to the other side of the wall. There was a thump, followed by a cry:

_“Ouch!”_

It wasn’t Stephanie’s voice, Trixie thought. She peeked around at Stephanie’s side of the wall to see what had happened. Stephanie was all right, but she was standing on an angry Robbie Rotten, who had been lounging on a bench…until now.

“Robbie, oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!” Stephanie hopped off Robbie, who moved into a slouched seated position. _“What,”_ Robbie hissed, removing a tuft of orange fuzz from one ear, “Were you _thinking?!”_ He removed a second tuft of fuzz from his other ear. Then he tossed his makeshift earplugs aside. “I was taking a pleasant nap,” he continued, “But YOU”— He stood up, jabbed a finger at Stephanie, winced, and clutched his aching middle with his other hand— “Had to jump on me! What do you think I am, a trampoline?”

“Robbie, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you! I didn’t know you were there!” Stephanie apologized again. Robbie’s facial features remained contorted in a snarl.

“Who’s been teaching you these dangerous gymnastics? Sportaflop?” Robbie’s voice was low and serious. He loomed over Stephanie, his grey eyes like thunderclouds. Stephanie knew Robbie liked to stir up trouble, but she didn’t normally think of him as scary. This time was different, and it wasn’t just because the sun behind his head cast him in shadow. Robbie had a tendency to be goofy and theatrical, even when angered. _No, this isn’t normal Robbie anger,_ Stephanie thought.

“We were only playing tag,” Stephanie said meekly. Robbie didn’t seem to hear her. He had already been irritable thanks to his insomnia, but now he saw red, felt red, heard red. He had been hurt, and as far as he saw it, it wasn’t just Stephanie’s fault. That backflipping doofus was also to blame. Sportacus was supposed to be a superhero, but he hadn’t shown up to stop the girl from crushing Robbie’s ribcage. Sportacus always rescues the brats, Robbie thought; what makes them so much better than me?

Robbie’s frustrations tumbled out. “How can you think that guy has it all figured out? Running and jumping and flip-flopping everywhere gets people hurt! If that blue show-off didn’t come rescue you kids all the time, you’d all be in the hospital. Don’t you have anyone to teach you how to avoid danger in the first place?”

“My uncle—”

“Even the Mayor can’t stay out of danger! Sportagoof has to rescue him, too!” Robbie sighed. He hoped he had made his point. Come to think of it, what _was_ the deal with the Mayor? Why had he been taking care of Stephanie for so long? While he didn’t want Stephanie to think he cared (what kind of villain cares?), Robbie’s curiousity would not stop nagging him.

“Why do you live with your uncle, anyway?” Robbie asked, nonchalant. “Where are your parents?”

Stephanie stiffened. “That’s none of your business,” she said.

An uncomfortable silence fell. Trixie, who had overheard the entire argument from her position at the wall, saw her opportunity to intervene. She shoved her way between the arguers. She faced Robbie and crossed her arms.

“Leave it, Robbie,” Trixie warned. She stared at Robbie, bold and focused. Stephanie looked down and to the side, saying nothing.

“Leave it?” said Robbie, puzzled by Trixie’s sudden defensiveness. “… _Oh,_ I see. Well, for the record, it’s not my fault if the pink girl’s parents didn’t want her.”

Almost as soon as the words spilled from his mouth, Robbie wished he could swallow them back down. Sadness seized Stephanie, crumpling her remaining resolve like tissue paper. Tears welled up in her eyes and trailed down her face. She choked out a sob, whipped around, and ran away.

“Stephanie!” Trixie called after her friend. Stephanie did not reply.

Trixie turned to Robbie and gave him an accusatory look. “You really are rotten,” she said coldly. Something in Robbie broke at those words.

“I only wanted her to go away!” The villain desperately tried to explain, but Trixie was already running after Stephanie.

“…I didn’t mean to make her cry.”

Robbie slumped to the ground. He sat cross-legged with his head in his hands. “Now you’re _really_ in trouble, Robbie,” he said to himself.

“Someone’s in trouble?”

Robbie shot up from the ground, arms pinwheeling as he found his balance. His focus snapped to the muscular hero who had just appeared before him. Now where did he come from all of a sudden?

 _“You!”_ Robbie growled at Sportacus.

“Me?”

“Oh yes,” Robbie said, laughing darkly, “Someone’s in trouble, all right.”

“Did something happen?”

“Take a wild guess!”

Sportacus drooped. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know,” he confessed. He gestured to the little plate on his chest where he kept his crystal. There were ugly cracks across it, slicing through the number 10. “I was trying out a new move, but I slipped up and broke my crystal.”

 _Oh._ That changed things, Robbie supposed. “I’ll fix it for you,” he said without thinking. “Oops. Uh, I mean, if you can’t do your best as a hero, then how am I going to do my best as a villain? It’s better for both of us if that annoying crystal is fixed, so I’m not being kind. Obviously.”

Sportacus smiled. Robbie felt heat rising in his face and his ears. What was this dizzying sensation? It almost made Robbie forget what had happened with Stephanie. Almost. Robbie looked away from Sportacus, and the guilt sank into him again. Sportacus’ smile dissolved as he too remembered the situation at hand.

“Robbie, please tell me what happened,” Sportacus pleaded, “I want to help.”

“I don’t know! The pink girl accidentally jumped on me and we got into an argument. I said something about her parents, but I didn’t really mean it, and she burst into tears!”

“Oh no,” Sportacus whispered to himself.

“Hmm?”

“Robbie, that’s a really sensitive subject for her.”

“How was I supposed to know that she would react that way?”

Sportacus shook his head. “I can’t tell you private information she trusts me to keep secret. She should make her own choice whether or not to tell you. Either way, I think it would be best to apologize.”

“What if she tries to run away again?”

“I’ll talk to her first if you want. Is that okay?”

“I guess.” Robbie shrugged. “But first we have to find out where she went.”

“Let’s try the Mayor’s house,” Sportacus suggested. “Maybe she went home.”

“Right, then. Let’s get this over with,” Robbie grumbled. Sportacus began to jog in the direction of Mayor Meanswell’s house, while Robbie plodded along behind him. Sportacus did a flip over the park wall. Robbie awkwardly clambered over.

“Could you walk for a change, Sportaflip?” Robbie panted, stumbling after he cleared the wall. Sportacus was already far ahead of him, so Robbie was not sure if the hero had heard him. Regardless, Sportacus had stopped in his tracks, and that gave Robbie time to catch up.

“Sporta--” Robbie said, but he stopped talking when Sportacus suddenly turned to him. The hero released a clasp behind his broken crystal and began to take off his vest.

“Whoa, what--?!” said Robbie. Sportacus shoved the vest into Robbie’s arms.

“Hold this for me, alright? Keep the crystal hidden.”

“I—okay then?” Robbie looked suspiciously at the vest. He sniffed it. It smelled like fruit and sweat. “Blech! You should really wash this thing.”

Sportacus did not respond. Trixie was approaching from the other direction, having just left the Mayor’s house.

“Sportacus!” said Trixie. “Where have you been?”

“Sorry, Trixie. I’ve been really busy,” Sportacus said. “I heard Stephanie was feeling sad. Is she at home?”

“Yeah. Robbie Rotten said something really mean to her…hey, look out! He’s right behind you!”

“I know. Don’t worry; he’s here to apologize.”

Trixie leaned past Sportacus to get a better view of Robbie. She pointed to her eyes, and then to Robbie. _I’m watching you._

Robbie waved dismissively. _Whatever, kid._

“Anyway, Stephanie’s feeling better, but I’m sure she’d still like to talk to you, Sportacus,” said Trixie. “I’m leaving, though. See you later!”

“See you!” Sportacus said cheerfully. He walked up to the door of the Mayor’s house and knocked. Robbie stood behind him, nervous. The Mayor opened the door.

“Oh, hello, Sportacus! And…Mr. Rotten?” he said. Robbie’s nose twitched.

“He’s with me,” said Sportacus. “Could we talk to Stephanie?”

“Yes; come on in. Trixie and I were just talking to her. She’s in her room.”

“Thanks, Mayor.”

Robbie followed Sportacus down the hallway. The door at the end of the hallway was open, and from the pink furnishings within, it was obvious that this was Stephanie’s room. The girl was sitting on the edge of her bed, writing in her diary.

Sportacus laid a hand on Robbie’s shoulder. “I’ll just be a minute,” he promised. Robbie nodded.

Sportacus knocked politely on Stephanie’s door, even though it was open. Stephanie looked up from her diary.

“Hi Sportacus,” she greeted, her expression brightening slightly.

“Can I come in?”

“Okay.”

Sportacus gave Robbie a reassuring wink before entering Stephanie’s room, gently closing the door behind him. Robbie stared into space for a minute or so, but he quickly became bored. He un-bunched the fabric of Sportacus’ vest, which he had almost forgot he was carrying. He wondered why Sportacus had been so intent on hiding the vest. No doubt it had something to do with the broken crystal. What kind of ridiculous stunt had the fool been doing to bang it up so badly? If Robbie had been in a better mood, he would have shown everyone the crystal’s sorry state to humiliate Sportacus. But this was no time for rivalry or plots to get the hero kicked out of town. Sportacus and Robbie needed one another’s help at the moment, and that meant a truce.

When the door reopened, Robbie almost jumped as a jolt of panic shot through him.

“It’s okay, Robbie, you can go in,” Sportacus told him.

“Fine. But you have to take your smelly vest back,” Robbie said, tossing the article of clothing to Sportacus, who caught it. Sportacus and Robbie swapped places so that Sportacus now stood in the hallway and Robbie stood in Stephanie’s room.

Stephanie raised an eyebrow when Robbie entered, but she seemed otherwise relaxed. Her diary lay to one side, and to her other side, there was a dent in the bed where Sportacus must have been sitting.

“Hello, pink child,” Robbie said.

“You know her name, Robbie,” Sportacus said, unimpressed.

“Um, I mean, hello, S-Stephanie.” Robbie looked at Sportacus, who did a thumbs-up before shutting the door between them.

“Hey Robbie,” said Stephanie, not unfriendly but not particularly enthusiastic either. Robbie continued to stand awkwardly, looking at the empty spot next to Stephanie. His nose twitched.

“You can take a seat,” Stephanie offered. “Oh. Alright.” Robbie sat down in Sportacus’ previous spot. He was slightly embarrassed to realize that the spot was still warm.

“You know,” he began, “I’m a _bad_ guy, not an _evil_ guy.”

“I know.” Stephanie smiled a little.

“So, even though I play tricks, I don’t want to seriously hurt you, for real. But I did. And…” Robbie took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“Thanks, Robbie,” said Stephanie. She hesitated for a moment. “You were right, though. When you said my parents didn’t want me.”

“No. Don’t say that.”

“It’s true. Mom and Dad were always arguing back at home, when they weren’t busy with work. They didn’t have time for me. They couldn’t decide what to do with me when they got divorced. Mom didn’t want to take me with her, and Dad didn’t want to take me with him, either, so Dad asked Uncle Milford if I could stay in Lazy Town over the summer. I was really happy to see my favorite uncle and get away from my parents.” Stephanie sighed, flopped onto her back, and looked up at the ceiling. “I thought that one of them would take me back someday, but it never happened.”

“Good. They sound like the worst. And that’s coming from a villain!”

Stephanie giggled. “Yeah, a villain who apologizes.”

“I—Sportafail made me do it! He was going to kick me out of town if I didn’t. So there.”

“Sure he was,” Stephanie said sarcastically. Robbie stuck his tongue out at her. Stephanie stuck her tongue out at Robbie. They laughed.

“Pink—er, Stephanie?”

“Yes?”

“How many other people have you told about your…situation?”

“Well,” Stephanie counted off her fingers. “My uncle knows, of course. Trixie knows, because she’s my best friend. And Sportacus, because…he’s Sportacus.” Stephanie sat up again. “And, now you. You won’t tell anyone else for me, right? I want to tell them myself.”

Robbie mimed zipping his lips and tossing the key aside.

“I won’t tell a soul.”

“Thanks, Robbie.”

Robbie bounced up from the bed. “If you’ll excuse me, I have cake to eat and disguises to be made.”

“Wait, I have a question for you before you go.”

“Make it quick.”

“Robbie, do you….” Stephanie hesitated, searching for the right words. “…do you really want Sportacus to leave town forever?”

Robbie froze. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“You don’t actually hate him, do you?” Robbie went over to the door and twisted the handle. He was tempted to leave the room without answering, but he didn’t want to annoy Stephanie after what had happened earlier.

“Maybe not,” he said, and left it at that.


	2. Fixing Us

“Now, don’t touch anything,” Robbie warned. He and Sportacus were in Robbie’s underground lair, where Robbie was going to work on fixing the hero’s crystal. He owed Sportacus for helping him with the Stephanie situation, plus he had blurted out an offer to help when he wasn’t thinking.  

 “Wow Robbie, you have quite a workshop,” Sportacus said, looking around at the large mechanical contraptions that were inventions of the one and only Robbie Rotten.

“Yes, I know. It’s amazing and clever,” Robbie gloated, straightening his vest.

“I’ve been here before, but I didn’t get a good look around. Remember when you turned me into a kid?”

“Too bad you were still as jumpy and flippy as ever,” Robbie grumbled. He adjusted a stand on his worktable that held a magnifying glass. “Okay, give me the lousy elf crystal,” he said, holding out a hand while avoiding eye contact with Sportacus.

“Elf crystal?”

“Don’t pretend like it’s a secret! I know you’re an elf, Sportaflop. Always have.”

Sportacus paled. “But…how? I never told you, or anyone else in town.”

“Simple. Number 9 was an elf, so I figured you’d be one, too. Although, given your inhuman stamina, weird sugarless diet, and habit of hiding your ears in the presence of humans, it wouldn’t have been hard to guess anyway. Now hurry up and give me the crystal.”

Sportacus unfolded the bunched-up vest he had been holding close to himself. He carefully removed the crystal from its destroyed clasp and placed it in Robbie’s outstretched hand.

“You do understand,” Robbie said as he set the crystal under the magnifying glass, “That after this stupid crystal is fixed, we go back to our old roles, okay? You’ll be an annoying superhero, and I’ll be the villain who drives you out of town.”

“Why?” Sportacus asked.

“Why!?” Robbie repeated. He abandoned his focus on the crystal to spin around and give Sportacus a look. “It’s what we DO! We’re complete opposites in every way, so naturally, we’re rivals. I can’t stand you, and you hate me, and that’s how it is!”

Sportacus looked hurt.

“I don’t hate you, Robbie,” he said gently. “I don’t like it when you teach the kids bad habits or upset them. But I also know that you can create a lot of fun for them, even though you’re usually in disguise. Your plans to kick me out of town always lead to lots of exciting times, too.”

“You really don’t resent me for all the times I’ve tricked you? All the times I’ve nearly injured you, stolen your spotlight, and tried to destroy your image? Is this all some kind of game to you?”

Sportacus opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.

“Right. Just as I thought. Go ahead and hate me like you should. Everybody else does anyway.”

“Robbie,” Sportacus said, his voice strained. “It hurts me when I see how tired and bitter you are. But I never really talk to you. You always march away when your disguise comes off, and then I don’t go after you. And for not helping you more when I should really be helping everyone in town, I’m sorry. I haven’t been a good hero for you. I’m not as perfect as a hero is supposed to be. So I think, just maybe, you’re like me in that way. You’re not perfectly villainous, just as I’m not perfectly heroic. Isn’t it okay to just be ourselves, whoever we really are?”

Robbie went silent, his face turned away from Sportacus.

“You’re different than I thought,” he finally said. He paused again, but Sportacus did not speak, waiting for Robbie to continue.

“I thought you only cared about looking cool, showing off, becoming the town favorite, and pushing your healthy agenda down everyone’s throats…and you’d only rescue me when you wanted to show off again just how great and heroic you are. But you…actually care about me?”  
 

“Of course I care,” said Sportacus. “Even though you’ve done mean things in the past, I’m willing to forgive you. And, I know I’ve said this before, but we can be friends. I…would like to, actually. Be friends. So would you…repair my crystal not as an obligation, but as a favor for a friend?”

Robbie narrowed his eyes.

“If I become your…friend, will I have to be like the children, eating your stupid sportscandy and participating in your silly sportsball games?”

“Robbie, I’m not going to force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with. I want you to be healthy and happy, but you’re an adult and you can make your own choices. I teach the children to eat healthy and exercise because they’re just starting to learn how to take care of themselves. You can keep playing your game of kicking me out of town, but I must ask that you stop picking on the kids.”

“I don’t pick on them for no reason,” Robbie argued. He counted off complaints on his fingers. “They’re loud, so I can’t rest, they’re active, which ruins the point of living in LAZY Town, they laugh at me when I make mistakes, and they always yell “Robbie Rotten!” like I’m a disobedient pet.”

“I didn’t know those things bothered you, Robbie. We can talk to the kids about all that, okay? We can work things out.”

“Fine,” Robbie said, his mouth twitching up and down, as he didn’t know what emotion to express, “I’ll be your friend.”

“Really?”

“Y-yeah.”

Robbie returned to his work table to inspect the crystal, and also to get away from the nervous, fluttering feelings Sportacus’ presence was giving him. _Is friendship supposed to make you feel like that, all jittery inside?_ He wondered. Then again, he often felt strange around Sportacus. He would suspect the hero had put a curse on him, but Sportacus was not the type to do something like that. Too naïve. Or was he?

“Say, Sporta—ugh. Sportacus. Why did you hide your crystal from T—Trixie and Pin—Stephanie?”

Sportacus sat in Robbie’s orange chair without any of his usual acrobatics. He bent forward with his hands folded and feet planted firmly on the floor.

“I didn’t want them to worry about me,” he admitted. Robbie rolled his eyes.

“They’re going to worry about you anyway, doofus! If they catch on that you’re hiding something from them, they’ll just get more worried.”

“Maybe you’re right. But Stephanie already has a lot that she worries about. I can’t make things worse for her if I have my own problems.”

“You said you weren’t a perfect hero, so stop trying to be one! Really, that’s one of the things about you that’s always irritated me. You flaunt your athletic abilities and get your little following that always listens to your advice, because they make you feel like you’re perfect. You rescue them, and they don’t learn about consequences. They keep doing the same nonsense, expecting that you’ll save them every time. You shouldn’t make the brats so dependent on you. Let them have a little trial-and-error!”

Sportacus was quiet, fidgeting with his hands and thinking hard about Robbie’s words. Robbie sighed.

“Stephanie idolizes you. I know she has issues with her parents, and her father didn’t take care of her like he should have. But you, you are the father figure she’s always wanted. You could break your crystal a hundred times and she’d still look up to you more than that neglectful piece of trash…why are you crying?”

Though tears were running down Sportacus’ cheeks, the elf was smiling genuinely.

“You didn’t upset me Robbie; don’t worry. I’m just so happy. I always wanted to be a father, but I couldn’t have kids of my own.”

“Couldn’t you adopt?”

“I’m too busy being LazyTown’s hero. But, you think I’m like a father to that girl already. It means a lot to me, Robbie. Thank you.”

“You’re…welcome,” Robbie said, still shocked by Sportacus’ emotional reaction. Sportacus wiped a hand over his face to clear the tears away.

“May I hug you?” he asked. Robbie could feel his heart rate increase suddenly, the pulse seeming to reach his head as well.

“Okay,” he managed to squeak out.

Sportacus rose from his seat, giving Robbie a look so soft that the villain began to feel dizzy somehow. Sportacus tenderly encircled Robbie’s middle with his strong arms and rested his head on Robbie’s shoulder. Robbie waved his arms around awkwardly, expressing his inner panic, but then he managed to calm himself and reach his arms around Sportacus’ back, returning the hug.

The crystal could wait.


End file.
